Shrub rose plant named ‘Meikaquinz’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of shrub rose plant, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Meikaquinz’, is provided which forms in abundance on a substantially continuous basis attractive, cup-shaped, yellow colored blossoms which emit a strong fragrance. Attractive, semi-glossy, medium green foliage is formed. The disease tolerance is very good, particularly with respect to black spot. The new variety is well suited for proving attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification:

Latin name: Rosa hybrida.

Common name: Shrub Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination: ‘Meikaquinz’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Shrub rose plant was created byartificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previouslyhad been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was anunnamed seedling (non-patented) which was the product of the cross ofthe ‘MEIRONSSE’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,496) and ‘MEIPSILON’variety (non-patented). The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) wasthe ‘AUSMAS’ variety (non-patented in the United States).

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:(‘MEIRONSSE’×‘MEIPSILON’)×‘AUSMAS’

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Shrub rose plant of the presentinvention:

-   -   (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive,        cup-shaped, yellow blossoms which emit a strong fragrance,    -   (b) forms attractive, ornamental, semi-glossy foliage,    -   (c) exhibits excellent resistance to pests and diseases,        particularly with respect to black spot, and    -   (d) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. Itcan be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, publicareas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant isparticularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguishedfrom its ancestors. More specifically, the ‘Meironsse’ variety displaysdarker salmon colored blossoms and the ‘Meipsilon’ variety displaysbicolor red and yellow blossoms, while the new variety displays yellowblossoms. The ‘Ausmas’ variety exhibits 35 petals on average while thenew variety displays 50 petals on average under normal conditions.Moreover, the new variety can be readily distinguished from othersimilar non-parental varieties. For example, the ‘Meilivar’ varietyexhibits a turbinate bud, whereas the new variety exhibits a rounded budand is more compact than the ‘Meilivar’ variety.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and the use ofcuttings, such as node cuttings, node stem with a leaf. Asexualpropagation by the above-mentioned techniques in France has shown thatthe characteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in atrue-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘Meikaquinz’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were approximately two years of age and were observedduring September while budded on own roots and growing outdoors at LeCannet des Maures, Var, France. Standard color information is includedat the bottom of the photograph.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a young shoot.

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of thesepals.

FIG. 3—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals.

FIG. 4—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening to thepetals.

FIG. 5—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening.

FIG. 6—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening—planview—obverse.

FIG. 7—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening—planview—reverse.

FIG. 8—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—obverse.

FIG. 9—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—reverse.

FIG. 10—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showingarrangement of the stamens and pistils.

FIG. 11—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showingarrangement of the pistils (stamens removed).

FIG. 12—illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem.

FIG. 13—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with 3 leaflets—plan view—uppersurface.

FIG. 14—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with 5 leaflets—plan view—undersurface.

FIG. 15—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with 7 leaflets—plan view—uppersurface.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2001 edition), London,England. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has beenadded to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. Thedescription is based on the observation of two-year-old specimens of thenew variety during September while budded on their own roots and growingoutdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

-   Class: Shrub Rose Plant.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Shrub.-   Branches:    -   -   Color.—Young stems: commonly near Green Group 137C. Adult            wood: commonly near Green Group 137C.        -   Thorns.—Configuration on adult stems: curved downward on the            upper surface and concave on the under surface. Size:            commonly approximately 8 mm in length on average. Base            shape: oval. Quantity: commonly approximately 5 thorns per            10 cm long young stem and commonly approximately 4 thorns            per 10 cm long adult stem. Color: commonly near Greyed            Purple Group 185C on young stems and commonly near Greyed            Orange Group 175B on adult stems. Small prickles <0.7 cm:            commonly absent.-   Foliage:    -   -   General appearance.—Very dense with semi-glossy aspect.        -   Number of leaflets.—3, 5, and 7; most often 5 or 7.        -   Terminal leaflet.—Length: approximately 6.2 cm on average.            Width: approximately 4.8 cm on average.        -   New foliage.—Upper surface color: commonly near Yellow Green            Group 146B. Under surface color: commonly near Yellow Green            Group 146C.        -   Adult foliage.—Upper surface color: commonly near Green            Group 137C. Under surface color: commonly near Green Group            138C.-   Leaflets:    -   -   Shape.—Tip: cuspidate. Base: rounded.        -   Texture.—Leathery.        -   General appearance.—Elliptical.        -   Edge.—Slightly denticulate.        -   Serration.—Small and single.        -   Petiole rachis.—Color of upper surface: commonly near Yellow            Green Group 144C. Color of under surface: commonly near            Green Group 138C.        -   Petioles.—Upper surface: no glandular. Under surface: 1 to 2            prickles on average. Color of upper surface: commonly near            Green Group 137C. Color of under surface: commonly near            Green Group 138C. Petiole length of terminal leaflet: near            3.5 cm on average.        -   Stipules.—General appearance: adnate, pectinate and rather            broad. Length: approximately 2 cm on average. Width: near            0.7 cm on average. Color of upper surface: commonly near            Yellow Green Group 144C. Color of under surface: commonly            near Green Group 138D.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers per stem.—Generally between 1 and 3            flowers per stem.        -   Bud.—Shape: conical. Length: approximately 2.5 cm on            average. Width: approximately 2.4 cm on average. Color as            calyx breaks: upper surface: commonly near Yellow Group 8C.            under surface: commonly near Yellow Group 8C.        -   Sepals.—Length: approximately 2.2 cm on average. Width:            approximately 0.9 cm on average. Shape: no extension, at the            top: none elongated, at the base: upright. Upper surface:            texture: smooth. color: commonly near Yellow Green Group            146D. Under surface: texture: tomentous. color: commonly            near Green Group 137C.        -   Receptacle.—Color: commonly near Yellow Green Group 146D.            Length: approximately 0.6 cm on average. Width:            approximately 0.6 cm on average. Surface: smooth. Shape:            funnel shaped.        -   Peduncle.—Length: approximately 5-6 cm on average. Width:            approximately 0.6 cm on average. Surface: smooth. Color:            commonly near Green Group 137C.        -   Flower.—Average diameter when fully open: approximately 12            cm on average. Shape: cup shaped. Type: very double. Profile            of the lower part of the flower: concave. Number of petals            under normal conditions: approximately 50 petals on average.            Shape of the petal: base: obtuse. top: rounded. Texture of            the petal: leathery. Petal length: approximately 4.2 cm on            average. Petal width: approximately 4 cm on average. Petal            arrangement: imbricated without petaloids. Petal drop:            petals drop off cleanly before drying. Fragrance: strong,            main fragrances of the perfume are tea, apple, cucumber, and            alfalfa. Basal spot: present on the inner side of the petal;            approximately 5 mm on average, and commonly near Yellow            Group 9A. Color when opening: upper surface: commonly near            Yellow Group 8B. under surface: commonly near Yellow Group            8B. Color of the open flower: upper surface: commonly near            Yellow Group 8C. under surface: commonly near Yellow Group            8C. Anthers: number is approximately 92 on average, length            is approximately 0.2 cm on average, coloration is commonly            near Orange Red Group 34C, and arrangement is regular around            styles. Filaments: length is approximately 0.4 cm on average            and coloration is commonly near Yellow Group 2D. Styles:            length is approximately 0.1 cm on average, the coloration is            commonly near Yellow Group 2D, and the number is            approximately 63 on average. Stigmas: size is approximately            0.5 cm on average and the coloration is commonly near Red            Group 44C.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Strong.        -   Blooming.—Early in the season, normal and nearly continuous.        -   Tolerance to disease.—Very good, and particularly against            Diplocarpon rosae black spot.

The new ‘Meikaquinz’ variety has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensityand duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of shrub rose plant characterizedby the following combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly andsubstantially continuously forms attractive, cup-shaped, yellow blossomswhich emit a strong fragrance, (b) forms attractive, ornamental,semi-glossy foliage, (c) exhibits excellent resistance to pests anddiseases, particularly with respect to black spot, and (d) is wellsuited for providing attractive ornamentation; substantially as hereinshown and described.